Best Type of Riveter

[rwoofer]

I need to do some riveting on my dinghies and my research says that I should get either a long armed riveter or the lazy tongue type. However I can't find anything on why you would choose one over the other.

Which one is likely to be the easiest, most reliable?

 

[maxi77]

For dinghy work I have had no problems with the likes of a Stanley ordinary tool but a Long armed one may be easier to use. Watch out though some long armed riveters do not tale the larger sizes. I was tempted by one I saw that had a little plastic bottle to catch the mandrels

 

[SAMYL]

The long arm ones, whilst easier to use, are not as handy as the shorter type when working in confined spaces. You need room to use them.

 

[TSB240]

I find hand riveters hard to use as they require bigger hands than I have! They need a lot of force to pull up stainless rivets ok for smaller aluminium ones.

We use long arm and lazy tongue ones at work. I cant say there is much to choose between them other than you push down harder on the lazy tongue ones which usually means the rivet pulls tight every time. Sometimes the long arm ones dont get the head of the rivet down tight. The lazy tongue ones need less effort but are a bit more unwieldy.

Not much to choose between them..

Oh they are both better than hand ones for pulling up stainless rivets.

 

[rwoofer]

I'm inclined towards the Lazy tongue ones because as you say they appear to push the rivet in at the same time. What concerns me is all those joints and whether it is as reliable as long armed jobs.

 

[lynall]

The little ones are good enough but as said can be a sod to squeeze, the lazy tongs are by far the best, but you have to be careful as when the rivet pops they have a tendency to jump about and the tip can hit whatever surface you are riveting, the long arm ones are quite frankly ****, only use they have is for setting the 1/4 dia rivets.
Ive had my lazy tongs pair for well over 20 years and they get some abuse, whereas the snap on tools long arm ones the company provides are always being replaced/repaired.
Only advice would be dont buy the cheapest whichever you decide to buy.

Lynall

 

[rob2]

I've never managed to find a good pair of long-armed pliers, but got a cheap second-hand lazy tongs off ebay. The job was to set some fairly large monel rivets and the tongs did the job fine, but I had to have a mate hold the jaws still or it gouged its way across the mast when the mandrel broke badly scoring the finish. Just from that point of view, I would expect the long arm type to be easier to use, although it is likely that like me you would need to borrow a friend with very large hands to operate them!

Rob.

 

[Martin_J]

Check out something like the Faithful Long Arm riveter Example here

I find the advantage of the long arm is that you don't have to push as hard on the work.. just hard enough for rivet to pull in tight.

 

[rwoofer]

Check out something like the Faithful Long Arm riveter Example here

I find the advantage of the long arm is that you don't have to push as hard on the work.. just hard enough for rivet to pull in tight.

I was trying to decide between the faithfull long arm and the lazy tong. Currently favouring the lazy tong, unless someone who has used one knows differently.

 

[savageseadog]

The Long arm type are better for up rig work than lazy tongs but that may not be a consideration for you.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

THIS kind is pretty much traditional for boat-building

 

[Martin_J]

Cool.. reminds me of making a fire fret at school.. lots of hammered in rivets..

 

[VicS]

I bought a lazy tong type when i had a couple of jobs planned.

I bought this one

from Toolstation

for only £16.54... thats cheaper and a lot less fuss than a few days hire

i have used it to set 3/16" monel rivets no problem.......... It has the nozzles for up to 1/4".

I expected something very cheap and flimsy but I am very pleased with it l

 

[KenMcCulloch]

I bought a Jetech long arm riveter from Axminster tools recently and it has been excellent. Sets 6mm Monel rivets easily The only disadvantage is that it's a little more difficult to keep pressure on the rivet itself when it first starts to pull in, so you can find you have rivets set with the head not perfectly flush more easily than with lazy tongs.

 

[boguing]

Don't forget that a short arm cheapy can be a long arm with a couple of bits of tube as extensions.

But I'd vote lazy.

 

[capetown]

You may want to consider a rivet adaptor to fit a cordless drill.

Must admit I was put off by the price but now I won't go back to my plier type ones, any takers, swop for a pint of London Pride?

So easy to use even up the mast, also they don't kickback so don't scratch the anodising.

Something like these.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laser-548...043&pid=100033&prg=1011&rk=1&sd=120987644722&

 

[pete]

I have been using the Faithful long arm riveter for a couple of years now with no problems at all. The old lazy tongue's they replaced decided to sheer off at the pivot point ! I prefer the long arm riveter as the "snap" is more controlled but access can be a problem in tight situations.

http://www.tradecounterdirect.com/a...rect.com/custom/images/products/FAIHDLAHR.jpg

Pete

 

[prv]

You may want to consider a rivet adaptor to fit a cordless drill.

That's interesting, never seen one like that before. Presumably turning the input shaft winds a screw that does the pulling? Does look quite good if it works as you say - if only I hadn't just bought a lazy tongs one

Pete

 

[rwoofer]

I agree the drill adaptor does look good. Will investigate further....

 

[rwoofer]

Capetown,

Can I ask whether the rivet adaptor does monel and stainless rivets?

I found this video, which shows it is really easy to use, but I do wonder whether it has the power for stronger rivet material?